See Also

Alcohol is Good for Health

Medical journalist Robert Kowalski points out that throughout history
physicians have prescribed alcohol for its health benefits. They
practiced without the benefit of science. However, “today,
we have the scientific proof that drinking in moderation is actually
good for most people.” He explains that

“In most cases, one can find research studies that back
up one side of an issue and other reports in defense of the opposite.
... Rarely do investigators come to the same conclusion in study
after study, with little or no equivocation. But that’s
the situation with alcohol and heart health.

“Data have come in from all over the world. Studies have
focused on both men and women, various age groups, and people
of many ethnic groups. The conclusion remains the same: those
who drink moderately live longer and have less risk of developing
heart disease than those who abstain from alcohol. Published papers
now total in the many hundreds.

“Still, some naysayers had their doubts. Perhaps the teetotalers
previously drank excessively and had undermined their health,
thus explaining their high levels of risk. In response, later
studies excluded all but those who had avoided alcohol for their
entire lives. The conclusion remained the same: alcohol confers
protection against CHD (cardiovascular heart disease), and drinkers
live longer than nondrinkers.” 1

As well known medical authority Dean Edell, M.D., asserts that
“you would have to be living on another planet not to know
that alcohol -- in moderation -- is good for your health.”
2

But which alcoholic beverage is the best choice? Dr. Edell explains
that there are “differences of opinion about whether beer,
wine, or liquor offers the quickest route to a longer life. Of ten
major studies, one-third found this true for wine, one-third for
beer, and one-third for liquor. Most researchers now believe that
it is the alcohol in all of them that provides the magic, but they
don’t rule out other components of alcoholic beverages.”
3

Of course, drinking alcohol is contraindicated for some people
such as alcoholics, pregnant women, and those whose physician has
recommended abstinence.